You realize your tooth cracked or chipped and now you’re
wondering how a dentist can fix it. While there are several dental treatments that
can restore a chipped tooth, one of the most common restorative procedures for
damaged teeth is a crown that will match the damaged tooth.
What is a crown and how does it work? A crown is a
protective cap that is placed over the tooth, restoring it to its natural look
and function. A crown acts as protection, ultimately preventing you from losing
the damage tooth.
Teeth are naturally protected by enamel, the strongest
tissue in the body. However, enamel can erode and crack for a number of
reasons. Perhaps you tripped and fell, hitting your mouth on an object or the
ground. Or had a blow to the face due to an altercation or some other type of
accident. Maybe you were eating hard candy or tried to open a package with your
teeth. (A big no, no!) Regardless of the cause, cracked teeth are aesthetically
displeasing and can cause intense pain, especially when chewing.
If you have a chipped or broken tooth it is important to make
an appointment right away with a dentist to determine the best option for
restoring the tooth and making sure there is no other dental issues that must
be addressed. While crowns are one of the top solutions, the dentist may also
recommend other restorative
procedures such as bonding, veneers and dental implants.
Reasons the dentist
may recommend a crown:
·
When you have a large cavity that must be filled
and it has caused severe damage to the tooth, a crown may be necessary to
restore and protect the tooth
·
To protect a weak tooth from fracturing
·
To restore a tooth that is chipped, cracked or
damaged
·
To cover a tooth after a root canal
·
To cover a dental implant
How is a CEREC Crown
made? Technology
At Artistic Dental at the Biltmore we have invested in
additional training and the CEREC technology and equipment that enables our
office to provide patients with crowns on the day of an appointment. Made with
a solid piece of ceramic and a 3-D image of the tooth and surrounding area, we
use CAD/CAM dentistry (computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing) to
make the crown during a single appointment. A traditional crown would typically
take multiple appointments, as it requires the dentist to put in a temporary crown
and take impressions for a permanent crown that must be sent to an off-site lab
to be made. With CEREC, we are also able to color-match the crown so it blends
in with the rest of your teeth.
Traditional crowns:
Other
types of crowns are made of metal, porcelain fused to metal, all
ceramic/porcelain and resin. The dentist will examine the damage to the tooth, and
determine the best type of crown for the repair. For example, a chipped tooth
near the opening of the mouth would be capped with a porcelain crown because it
is easy to color-match to the other teeth.
If you have a cracked, broken or chipped tooth immediately
contact the office to schedule an appointment with Dr. John Dougherty or Dr.
Prabhidi Adhikari. If it is urgent, we will get you in as quickly as
possible. You can contact us by phone at
(602) 840-5400 or make an appointment online!
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